


i came to see you.

by leonardwatch



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, POV Third Person, sort-of kinda dates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 06:37:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10714191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leonardwatch/pseuds/leonardwatch
Summary: In which Akira changes Yusuke's original thoughts about their what their friendship would be over a period of time, and what their relationship as a whole would be in one trip to Ueno.





	i came to see you.

After their visit to Mementos, Yusuke knew that Akira would visit him for one of two things: skill card duplication or to see him to spend time together. He didn’t expect Akira to visit him often outside of card duplication. As much as he would like to see Akira and spend time with him, he knew Akira knew many others and was continuously spending time with them. He’s a busy guy, and Yusuke didn’t mind that.

However, his original thoughts were actually wrong. While Akira did need skill cards from time to time, almost always the first thing he responded with was “I came to see you”, and while Yusuke was, at first, confused and caught off guard at the fact that Akira wanted to see him, wanted to spend time with him, and not just once but so often, he couldn’t complain. It’s not like he doesn’t enjoy it; he’s found himself drawn their leader in ways he can’t describe currently, feelings he hasn’t sorted out yet.

However, the biggest moment that put a shift in Yusuke’s thinking when Akira approaches him on a Saturday and invites him out to Ueno to the art museum. It’s a place Akira knows he loves and enjoys, and with Yusuke not doing much except people-watching, he accepts and he’s more than happy to go. They haven’t been there in a while since Yusuke’s painting inspired by Mementos was rejected and criticized by the audience, but maybe going with Akira just as a means of hanging out would be better. So, ten minutes later, they’re on the train to Ueno.

At the museum, Yusuke’s quick to observe: what’s new, what isn’t, what seems to have been moved, and he’s moving around the crowd with Akira not far behind him to see the newer pieces he finds interesting and the older pieces he’s always admired. While stopped for a minute, Yusuke is reminded of something, a painting they haven’t seen yet. He turns to Akira beside him to speak, “Come with me. There’s something I’d like to show you.”

With a nod, Akira agrees, and Yusuke leads him to a painting that seems to have been here a while. It’s kind of abstract, however the brushstrokes remind Akira of Yusuke’s, the way they curve and give shape. It’s no wonder Yusuke wanted to see this one; he probably admires it.

“This one,” Yusuke begins and looks at him, “has been here for a while now. Whenever I’m here by myself I always found myself drawn to this one, however since you’re with me today, I wanted a second opinion on it. What are your thoughts?”

“It’s beautiful,” Akira answers, a small smile on his face and hands still shoved in his pockets. He turns to Yusuke. “I see why you like it.”

Yusuke smiles as he turns back to the painting. “Indeed,” he starts. “I find it inspiring. The fact that it stays here tells me others hold the same thoughts, that it really has captured true beauty, but hearing it from you is reassuring. Thank you.”

Yusuke takes in the painting for a little bit longer, but when he turns back to Akira, he sees him still looking at him, almost as if he’s taking him in. Yusuke’s taken aback at first. “Is something the matter?” he asks.

It’s as almost if Akira answers without thinking, “You have a beautiful smile.”

And that sentence has taken Yusuke from ‘mildly surprised’ to ‘shocked’.

Akira almost immediately apologizes afterwards, “Sorry, that was really sudden, I didn’t mean to startle you,” and Yusuke forgives him, but it’s not like there’s anything that he needs to apologize for. He’s just shocked, almost in disbelief. He never expected this sort of confession from Akira, and if anything, he’d didn’t think Akira would be saying it to him, of all people. It almost adds to the surprises Akira gives him, he didn’t expect Akira to want to see him so much, to want to go out with him, to help him with his art and discovering beauty, the list goes on. It’s something that causes Yusuke’s feelings to be mixed up, why, despite the surprise, he’s so glad that Akira wants to spend all this time with him.

Yusuke tries to move on, “R-Regardless, shall we head back before it gets late?”

Akira nods. His face is a soft pink after his earlier admission, looks as if he’s trying to still calm himself after saying something he wasn’t ready to admit. Not that Yusuke can complain, he’s probably in the same state of appearance as him, trying to really recollect himself after being told that from someone.

It makes Yusuke put those questioned and unsorted feelings into perspective.

The train back to Shibuya was more crowded than either of them expected. Yusuke and Akira were left standing side by side near the door, neither of them really able to look at each other and thoughts still racing after earlier.

What Yusuke thinks about are Akira’s feelings. What are they, and were they like his, unsorted, confusing, yet somehow drawn to him? Or could it be Akira had more concrete feelings? Could they be strong feelings? Thoughts keep coming into his mind, and one stuck out: could those strong feelings be love?

It’s something that seems too sudden, but he can’t get it out of his mind. He can’t necessarily deny it either.

After riding the train in silence for quite some time now, Yusuke decides to say something. “Hey, at the museum,” he starts. He looks straightforward, really not able to face Akira. “Did you mean what you said to me?”

There’s a bit of silence before Akira answers with a soft, “Yeah.”

Yusuke feels a mix of emotions. Confusion because Akira actually believes that he has a beautiful smile, but also relief and joy. “I see,” he says. “Can I ask you something? You don’t have to give me an answer right now if you’re uncomfortable.”

“It’s alright, go ahead,” Akira responds.

“What are your feelings towards me? Again, you don’t have to answer, but I’ve had my own feelings towards you that I’ve been mulling over as to what they could be,” Yusuke goes on. “Not only do you also see me so often, but today’s earlier events also lead me to think about how I feel about you and vice versa, and if you meant what you said to me earlier surely you have a reason for it—“

“Yusuke, I love you.”

Yusuke doesn’t know what he’s more surprised at: Akira’s confession or the fact that he himself is relieved to hear it.

He turns to look at Akira. Akira’s looking straightforward, messing with the frizz of his hair nervously. Yusuke, still in disbelief, tries to speak, “I’m sorry, you…”

“I think you’re beautiful and amazing,” Akira starts, and Yusuke can feel his face heating as he continues. “That’s why I wanted to see you so much. It’s why I asked you out today, why I want to help you pursue true beauty in your art and be here for you.”

Akira turns his head to look up at him, and Yusuke instinctively looks away. He can’t face him just yet, which he feels ridiculous for since he’s the one who asked what his true feelings are. Yusuke’s brought his hand to his face in some sort of attempt to calm his thoughts (which were racing) and to hide his cheeks since they were probably red right about now.

The disbelief aside that Akira has decided to tell him, the relief and joy he feels is another thing, and it causes Yusuke to believe those unsorted and confused feelings might be something reciprocated.

“I see,” Yusuke says in the calmest voice he can muster. “I’m sorry, I know I asked, but I don’t think I was expecting the answer.”

“No, I understand,” Akira responds. Yusuke’s not sure of the exact state Akira’s in, he can’t look at him without feeling embarrassed at himself. “It was kind of sudden to lay all of that out.”

There’s a little bit of silence again before Akira asks, “Is it okay if I ask if you feel the same?”

Yusuke doesn’t have a concrete answer. He’s not sure how to respond. He takes a deep breath, takes his hand away from his face, and answers, “I don’t know, but,” he stops for a minute and thinks. “I can’t say it’s not reciprocated.”

He finally, actually looks at Akira, and the way he looks is stunning. Behind his glasses, his eyes look hopeful, and Yusuke’s response causes a soft smile to appear on his face, and Yusuke wonders if these confused feelings are just actually his own ignorance to his feelings. Maybe what he feels isn’t unsorted or he’s unsure, maybe it’s just never really hit him why he’s enjoying that Akira wants to be with him.

Yusuke blinks and then moves his gaze away. “Regardless, I’m sorry for this sudden conversation,” he begins. “I couldn’t get it out of my thoughts since the museum, but… maybe it was nice for us to actually have this talk.”

He can practically hear Akira’s smile through his voice as he speaks, “Agreed. I’m glad.”

Yusuke notices they’re approaching Shibuya. At that time, he feels a hand start hold his, and Akira asking in a soft voice, “Is this alright?”

Yusuke really can’t help but smile in response as he answers that it is and intertwines their fingers.

**Author's Note:**

> fuck you atlus


End file.
